Jackson County Sheriff's Office's new app continues push for community involvement

The new Jackson County Sheriff's Office mobile app continues the push to keep the community informed and engaged.

JACKSON, MI – In its continuing efforts to foster community engagement and keep citizens informed, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has a new phone app with more bells and whistles than the previous one.

The MobilePatrol app is available on Android and Apple smartphones, and allows community members to see the most wanted persons in the area, give sightings and tips and receive updates and notifications when someone is arrested or released. The victim notification allows people to search for inmates and receive a notification when they are released.

“We are trying to make (the app) grow, and it is more user friendly,” Jackson County Sheriff Steven Rand said. “It’s now more robust and has more features.”

The app, which was released about a month ago, has received favorable feedback and already had more than 400 downloads before the community was notified. Rand said he hopes once word spreads of the new app more community members will start utilizing it.

The interface is also easier for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office to update the app. Lt. Wayne Bisard, who is spearheading the new app, said the program is web-based, meaning it's smoother to update traffic accidents causing lane closures and the statuses of inmates.

“We can also log in with the iPhone for traffic updates,” Bisard said. “So, we can log in and push it to the community members who have downloaded the app.”

Also, the app shows press releases from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and links to news articles relating to the office.

For crime tips, the information sent through the app goes directly to dispatchers, who then decide the level of importance of the tip given. If it is a tip that needs immediate action, it can be radioed out. If it is a tip for a specific deputy, it will be emailed to him or her.

“They read it in real time and decide where it will go,” Bisard said.

The app continues an effort by the sheriff’s office to be more in touch with the community. Previously, the sheriff’s office used its Facebook page more by posting mugshots of people with warrants out for their arrest.

“We had a very favorable response with Facebook, and we are trying to build upon that,” Rand said. “Any avenue we can use to get the community informed and involved is a plus.”

To download the app, search on the Apple store or Android Market MobilePatrol. Once the app is downloaded, you can select the state and the specific law enforcement agency. Jackson County is the third county is the state to utilize this app.